amolvaidya06 wrote:I understand the desire to want to generate revenue from the site. However, I don't respond well when I feel like I'm being goaded into becoming a paying member through negative reinforcement, which is what the new release feels like. I suspect there are many others who will feel the same way. Positive encouragement, or a simple, visible request for more VIP members would have converted me. Hell, as much as I've played here I would even donate if asked. This update will probably send me back to FICS.

Just my two cents.

I feel the same way, I am also ready to donate if needed. But not with so convoluted system like this. Before was OK, very good, simple, easy and balanced. I do not understand so complicated now. I also agree now is a negative encouragement. With positive encouragement I will be much more receptive. If is a money question, there must be ways to integrate non VIP'S

zooincle wrote:Everybody free should play 200 cubits games now and everything will work almost as before...

How so? Example of why that is not so: Assume one win, one loss. That costs you 200 + 200 and gains a prize of 160. Net result, the site gets (200 + 200 - 160) = 240 cubits from you (and, 240 cubits from your opponent). The two games average a cost to you of 120 cubits per game. (plus or minus a tiny adjustment for having white or black during loss or win).

1,000 such games cost you 120,000 cubits

I still say, 25 cubit games are the best deal under these circumstances. As that costs you: 25 + 25 - 20 (prize) = 30 cubits / two games or 15 cubits/game (plus/minus the white/black adjustment), averaging per 1,000 games a cost of 15,000 cubits (imo, that's less than 120,000 cubits).

Now, if you rely on the site's 100 cubits/day FREE cubits to maintain your cubit balance, that means you could be playing those 1,000 games over 150 days (6-7 games per day) and breakeven (plus of course, enjoy playing in the site's free tourneys).

zooincle wrote:Everybody free should play 200 cubits games now and everything will work almost as before...

How so? Example of why that is not so: Assume one win, one loss. That costs you 200 + 200 and gains a prize of 160. .

Oops! not 160 but 360 is the prize (was that my eyesight, or did the terms change since I posted?). Which means 200 + 200 - 360 = 40 cubits to the site for 2 games, which is an average cost of 20 cubits/game (plus or minus the white/black adjustment). Which is sounding only 33% more than paying 25 cubits for a game (with the average cost of 15 cubits/game).

But, if you're confident you'll win much more often then you'll lose (eg. you're bunnysniping and playing lower rated players), then yes, the higher price scheme makes sense enough. Except that the higher the wager, the more likely you'll get taken by "sandbaggers"

All in all, I stand by my recommendation that 25 cubit games are the best value now (and lowest risk).

babasaheb wrote:All in all, I stand by my recommendation that 25 cubit games are the best value now (and lowest risk).

I disagree with myself now, after more thoroughly testing it: 200 cubit games do make more sense if you're modestly bunnysniping so that you're winning more than 3 out of 5 games (which overcomes the site's share and nets you a respectable gain in total cubits).

The site's share from both opponents is: 2 x ( 200 x 5) - 1 x (360 x 5) = 2,000 - 1,800 = 200 cubits / 5 games or 40 cubits/game. Which for non-VIP, seems to be the site's share per game up to and including the 200 cubit game level (site's share per game gets bigger beyond that level).

At 100,000 games/day (to confirm this figure, share/copy the URL from games on different dates to calculate the site's game volume, guess at 1/3rd as the number of aborts), that's: 40 x 100,000 = 4,000,000 cubits/day (1.46 Billion cubits/year), less perhaps 20% of those as FREE cubits, netting the site: 1.168 Billion cubits per year. Figuring the usual cost of cubits being $5 per 5,000 ($0.001 per cubit), that will be: $1,168,000 dollars/year.

However, customers can choose VIP membership to defray their costs (somewhat, I don't think they actually save all that much unless they're sticking with 15 cubit (free) games). Only time will tell what the impact of that aspect will be.

I have free VIP because of rating and player level. But I am charged 25 cubits for a 25 cubits wager game instead of the 10 I expect with the 15 cubit discount that is advertised for VIP. Is this a bug or by design?Even when I win it costs me 5 or 6 cubits per game.Can't see me playing many more wager games here, I'd be better off on playchess